Keyboard-lock for typographical machines.



T. W. JOHNSJ KEYBOARD LOCK FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19. 1916.

1 ,257,2 l2 Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

WITNESSES: 6 INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. JOHNS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO IN TERTYPE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed April 19, 1916. Serial N 0. 92,208.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. JOHNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Keyboard-Locks for Typographical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in typographical machines, and more especially to those of the linotype class wherein matrices are delivered from a magazine by manipulation of the keyboard and assembled in a line.

The object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and efficient device for locking or preventing further manipulation of the keyboard when the elevator wherein the matrices are assembled occupies any position other than a matrix-receiving position. Preferably, and as shown, the locking of the keyboard is controlled automatically according to the position occupied by the assembling elevator, and means is provided for maintaining the keyboard in locked con dition when such is desired.

Nith these and other ends in view, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more clearly described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the front of a typographical machine of the linotype class, the present invention being shown applied thereto.

Fig 2 is a side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a portion of the assembling elevator, and the latch or dog which may be used to maintain the keyboard in locked condition.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the key bars on an enlarged scale and also the locking member which is movable to and from locking position relatively thereto.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views. 7

The present invention is applicable generally to typographical machines of the type wherein the delivery of matrices from the magazine tothe assembling point or elevator is accomplished or controlled by ma nipulation of a keyboard which has finger keys which control the delivery of the clifferent matrices. The invention is particularly applicable to machines of the linotype class which embody what is termed an assembling elevator, this assembling elevator receiving the matrices to make up a line while the elevator is in its lower position, and after the matrices making up the line have been received by this elevator, the elevator rises preparatory to the transfer of a line of matrices to the mechanisms of the machine which justify and lock the line and present the line to the casting mold. The present invention provides a device which in its preferred form locks the keyboard automatically to prevent manipulation thereof and consequent delivery of matrices from the magazine after the assembling elevator has moved from its lower or matrix-receiving position, the keyboard remaining locked until the assembling elevator has returned to its lower or matrix-receiving position, the keyboard locking device being thereupon automatically unlocked.

It is to be understood that while the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, the invention is not restrict d to this particular construction, as equivalent constructions are templated and will be included within the scope of the claims. 7

In the present instance 1 designates a portion of the main or stationary frame of a machine of the linotype class, this portion of the frame projecting forwardly beneath or adjacent to the keyboard and providing bearing arms 2 and 3 in which a shaft4 is rotatably mounted. An operating handle 5 is provided at one end of the shaft 4 and an arm 6 is fixed to the opposite end thereof. The'keyboard is composed of a suitable number of key levers and connected devices which actuate escapements or equivalent means for controlling the delivery of matrices from the magazine. The keyboard and related matrix delivering means may be 01? the type commonly used in machines-of t is scribed in Letters Patent No. 486,532, grant ed September 16, 1890, to O. Mergenthaler. For the purposes of the present invention,

one of the key levers 7 is shown, it being and its rear end pivoted on a rod or shaft 8,

class, or of the type shown and de its pivots 1 14 into 9 is adapted to engage in. a notch formed in the forward edge of its corresponding vertically movable key bar. Two of these key bars 10 are shown in the present instance, these key bars operating upon triggers, 11, which triggers in turn control the operation of the escapement actuating devices. The key bars 10 arearranged usually in a horizontal line atthe rear of the keyboard.

The assembling elevator which is commonly used in machines of this class to receive the matrices from the magazine to arrange them in a line and to transfer the line of matrices to the casting mechanism is designated by 12, being usually mounted to reciprocate vertically. This assembling elevator may correspond to that commonly used in machines of this type, it occupying a lower position where it receives the matrices delivered from the magazine by a manipulation of the keyboard, and moving to an upper position to efiect the transfer of the line of matrices to the casting mechanism.

An assembling elevator of this same general type is shown and described in the prior patent above referred to.

Locking of the keyboard is effected, according to the present construction, by a bar or looking member 13 which is arranged preferably in rear of the line of key bars 10 and is adapted to move to and from looking relation with shoulders or projections on the keyboard. As shown, the locking member or bar'has pivots 14 at or near its upper edge which are journaled in uprights 15 of the frame, and the key bars are recessed at their rear sides to form a shoulder 16 on each key bar. lVhen the key'bars 10 are in their normal or lower position, the shoulder 16 of the key bars will be at the same level and the height of these shoulders will be such that the locking bar or member 13 may swing into a position to bring its lower edge above'the shoulders of the key bars. The locking member or bar 13 is shown in this position by the full lines in Figs. 2 and 4:. A spring 17 is provided, the spring act ing with a tendency to move the locking member into looking relation with the key bars. In order to arrest the movement of the locking member toward lockedposition under the influence of the spring 17, and to thereby prevent" further motion of the locking member, one or more stops 18 may be provided on the locking member, two of these stops being shown in the present in stance which extend downwardly beyond the lower edge" of the locking member and are adapted toabut against the rear sides of adjacent key bars just after the lower edge ofthe locking member is moved into a positionabove the shoulders 16 on thekeybars, When the locking member/is swung about the dotted line position shown inFigs: 2 and- 4, the lower edge ofthe locking member .will clear the shoulders 16 of the key bars and the latter may then rise in response to manipulation of their corresponding key levers.

The present invention provides means for controlling the locking member according to the position occupied by the assembling elevator. In the construction shown the locking member will lock the keyboard when the assembling elevator occupies any position other than its matrix-receiving position. Different means may be provided for actuating the locking member under control of the assembling elevator whereby this result may be attained. As shown, an arm 19 is attached to one of the pivots 14 of the looking member and a pin or projection '20 which is attached to the assembling elevator actu ating arm 6 overlies the arm 19. The arm 6 serves to raise the assembling elevator from its lower or matrix-receiving position to its upper or matrix transferring position, and to permit the return of the assembling elevator to its lower or matrix-receiving position, it being understood that the elevator is shifted by a manipulation of the handle 5. Vi hile the assembling elevator is in its lower or matrix-receiving position, the pin or projection 20 bears on the arm 19, holding the locking member 13 in the dotted line position shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. The locking member is then clear of the locking shoulders on the key bars and the keyboard is then unlocked so that the keys may be manipulated to deliver matrices from the magazine to the assembling elevator. Nhen the assembling elevator is raised out of its lower or matrix receiving position, the pin or pro jection 20 moves upwardly, permitting the arm 19 to swing upwardly under the influence of the spring 17, and in consequence the locking member swings into a position above the locking shoulders 16 on the key bars, thus preventing manipulation of any of the keylevers of the keyboard. During the upward'movement of the assembling elevator, the pin or projection 20 moves out of engagement w1th the arm 19 and the locking member is retained in looking position by the spring 17. The locking member remains in a position to lock the keyboard until the assembling'elevator is returned to its lower or matrix-receiving position. As this latter position is approached the pin or projection. 20 comes into contact with the arm 19, swinging the arm 19. downwardly against the action of the spring-17 and thus swing ing the locking member clear of the locking shoulders on the key bars. Manipulation of the keyboard may then take place for-the pielivery of matrices to make up the next The present invention also provides a de-v vice for maintaining the keyboard in locked condition to prevent operation of the ma chine when such is desired. As shown, this device consists of a dog or latch 21 which is pivoted to the assembling elevator at 22 and is adapted to occupy a position where it will come into engagement with the upper side of a screw or projection 23 on the stationary frame, or it may occupy a position where it will clear this screw or projection. During operation of the machine, the dog or latch 21 is set in a position where it will clear the screw or projection 23, this position being shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The movements of the assembling elevator may then take place without obstruction. When, however, it is desired to lock the machine or to prevent operation thereof, the dog or latch 21 is moved into the full line position in Fig. 3 and as the assembling elevator approaches its lower or matrix-receiving position the dog will engage the screw or projection 23, thus preventing the completion of the downward movement of the assembling elevator and at this time the pin or projection 20 will be raised sufficiently to allow the locking member to occupy its locking relation to the key bars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine of the linotype class, the combination of a keyboard, an assembling elevator, and means controlled by the position of the assembling elevator for locking the keyboard.

2. In a machine of the linotype class, the combination of an assembling elevator, a keyboard controlling the delivery of matrices thereto, and means controlled by the assembling elevator for locking the keyboard when said elevator occupies any position other than matrix-receiving position.

3. In a machine of the linotype class, the combination of an assembling elevator movable to and from a matrix-receiving position, a keyboard controlling the delivery of matrices to such elevator, and locking means for the keyboard having means for automatically looking it when the assembling elevator moves out of matrix-receiving position and for automatically unlocking it when the elevator returns to such position.

4;. In a machine of the linotype class, the combination of an assembling elevator, a keyboard controlling the delivery of matrices thereto, means controlled by said elevator for locking the keyboard, and means for maintaining the keyboard locking means in locked condition.

5. In a machine of the linotype class, the

combination of an assembling elevator mov-' able to and from a matrix-receiving position and a keyboard controlling the delivery of matrices thereto, means for locking the keyboard from manipulation when said elevator occupies any position other than matrix-receiving position, and means operative to prevent return of the elevator to matrix-receiving position and thereby to maintain the keyboard in locked condition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS W. JOHNS.

Witnesses:

T. S. HOMANS, F. G. SMALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

